FALL 2026
Lettuce Patch Early Learning Center opens its doors in Avon >> page 2
THE TRANSFORMATION CONTINUES Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater begins phase two of its $19 million transformation >> page 4
MORE RACING THAN EVER BEFORE Preparing for the largest Birds of Prey World Cup festival in history >> page 6
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF ADVENTURE Successful 2026 GoPro Mountain Games sets the stage for a milestone 25th anniversary >> page 7
Photo courtesy of RA Nelson.
READY TO GROW
FROM BARE LAND TO BRIGHT BEGINNINGS Lettuce Patch Early Learning Center opens in Avon A little over a year ago, it was an empty lot on East Beaver Creek Boulevard. Now it is a home for our valley’s youngest learners.
Lettuce Patch Early Learning Center opened this October, marking the completion of one of the most ambitious community projects in the Vail Valley Foundation’s history and a major milestone for the Empowering Possibility Capital Campaign. The all-electric, 13,595-square-foot facility includes 12 classrooms and four outdoor playgrounds. Once it reaches full capacity, it will serve up to 165 children aged
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VAIL VALLEY FOUNDATION | VVF.ORG
Photos by Chris Kendig.
six weeks to 5 years. Access Early Education Foundation, which oversees enrollment, hiring, and day-to-day instruction, will operate the facility Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., year-round. The need could not be more urgent. The Eagle River Valley is a childcare desert. For many local families, finding care is the single biggest barrier to living and working here. IT TAKES A VILLAGE Lettuce Patch is the result of a true communitywide effort. The Town of Avon leased the land to the VVF for 50 years at $10 and contributed $800,000 in incentives and contributions, building on Traer Creek LLC’s original conveyance of the property for community use back in the 1990s. The project was designed by Zehren and Associates and built by RA Nelson. Eagle County contributed $1 million, and the Vail Resorts Epic Promise Foundation provided key grant support. Active Energies donated and installed more than 100 rooftop solar panels. VVF Board members Johannes Faessler and Steve Coyer, along with Board Chair Chris Jarnot, guided the project from the very beginning. Many additional granting organizations and individual donors helped bring the project to life. A full list can be found at empower.vvf.org/donors. FINAL FUNDRAISING STRETCH To date, the VVF has raised more than $13 million toward the construction of Lettuce Patch. Fundraising continues for a $4 million Tuition, Housing, and Operational Fund, which will help working families across income levels afford care, attract and retain qualified early childhood educators in a challenging housing market, and support ongoing operations. Your generosity built this building. Your continued support will fill it with children for years to come. Interested in supporting Lettuce Patch Early Learning Center? Contact Vice President of Philanthropy Peter Barclay at pbarclay@vvf.org. Learn more at lettucepatch.org.
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PROGRESS ACROSS THE CAMPAIGN
POSSIBILITY IN PROGRESS Empowering Possibility Capital Campaign projects take shape
Rendering by Zehren and Associates.
Our Empowering Possibility Capital Campaign is beginning to reshape arts, athletics, education, and community support services across the Eagle River Valley. Thanks to donors like you, we have now raised more than $47 million toward our $74 million goal, and tangible progress is visible from Vail to Avon to Beaver Creek. With approximately $26 million remaining to close the gap, supporters have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to help fulfill the full vision of the campaign and create a lasting legacy for our valley. THE AMP’S NEXT CHAPTER At the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, phase two of a comprehensive threeyear, $19 million renovation begins this fall. Phase two work is scheduled to conclude by April 2027, delivering the latest round of improvements in time for The Amp’s 40th anniversary season. Phase two will expand both the east and south concessions areas, enlarge the loading dock, and upgrade utility
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infrastructure across the site. For guests, that means materially better food and beverage options, expanded menus, and faster transaction times. For artists and production teams, the larger loading dock will dramatically improve load-in and load-out, making The Amp a more attractive stop for the world’s biggest touring acts. Phase one, which wrapped this spring, included new pavilion seating, an expanded sound and production booth, new hand railings, and more. The third and final phase will bring a significantly expanded box office, renovated back-of-house and operational spaces, and a new two-story north concessions building with a multi-use studio and special event space. All work is set to be completed by May 2028, and every phase is scheduled during off-season months, so summer programming is never interrupted. To learn more about every capital project, explore giving opportunities, or make a gift, visit empower.vvf.org or contact VVF President and CEO Mike Imhof at mimhof@vvf.org or Vice President of Philanthropy Peter Barclay at pbarclay@vvf.org.
VAIL VALLEY FOUNDATION | VVF.ORG
TRANSFORMING ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT • Vail Dance Festival Artistic Direction Endowment • Carol F. Storr Endowment for Classical Ballet • Vilar Performing Arts Center renovations • Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater renovations
62+er 62% FUNDED
CAPITALIZING ON OUR SKI RACING LEGACY >> see page 6 • John and Karen Arnold Ski Racing Legacy Fund
100+er 100% FUNDED
EMPOWERING POSSIBILITY FOR YOUTH AND FAMILIES • Youth Power Family Engagement and Soccer Center • Youth Power Scholarship Fund (Board Directed Operating Reserve) • Youth Power Operating Reserve Fund for Education & Sports
18+er 18% FUNDED
BUILDING COMMUNITY SUPPORTS >> see page 2 • Lettuce Patch Early Learning Center • Tuition, Housing, and Operational Fund
91+er 91% FUNDED
BUILDING TOWARD 40
A standout summer at The Amp sets the stage for a milestone anniversary in 2027 The 2026 season at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater brought bluegrass, funk, soul, country, classical music, dance, and more to Vail. From Trey Anastasio’s acoustic performance to back-to-back nights of The String Cheese Incident, from the Bravo! Vail Music Festival and Vail Dance Festival to Bulleit Hot Summer Nights, graduations and community gatherings, it was a season to remember. That momentum will carry the venue into its milestone 40th anniversary season. FORTY YEARS UNDER THE GORE RANGE The Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater turns 40 in 2027, and Hot Summer Nights turns 40 right alongside it. The venue opened in 1987 with a headlining performance by Willie Nelson in front of a crowd of 1,200. That same summer, the free Tuesday night concert series began. Four decades later, The Amp has capacity for approximately 2,600 people and has hosted some of the world’s greatest orchestras, dancers, musicians, and comedians. We are planning a season to celebrate the venue’s rich history. Expect commemorative 40th anniversary merchandise, archival storytelling drawn from 40 years of performances, and more. Stay tuned for details once the 2027 lineup is set. Until then, mark your calendar for a summer four decades in the making.
Photos by Jason Myers.
Donors receive presale access, premium seating opportunities, and other exclusive benefits. Learn more at vvf.org/giving-levels.
Full details on The Amp’s 40th anniversary season, including the lineup and anniversary programming, will be announced next spring.
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THE BIGGEST BIRDS OF PREY YET Seven races, two weekends, and one major snowmaking investment This December, we will host the largest Stifel Birds of Prey Audi FIS Ski World Cup festival in history. The 2026 festival, December 3–13, will feature seven World Cup races across back-to-back weekends, more than any Birds of Prey since the course made its World Cup debut in 1997. The first weekend includes four men’s races (two downhills, a super-G and a giant slalom), followed by three women’s races the second weekend (two downhills and a super-G). The 2024 festival marked the first time women ever competed on the Birds of Prey downhill course, a milestone decades in the making and one made possible by a transformational $10 million gift from John and Karen Arnold. The additional races this year build on that momentum. The Arnolds’ generosity extends to the course itself. Their investment has allowed us to install a new automated snowmaking system on the lower third
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of the course, the most significant upgrade to the venue’s snowmaking in more than two decades. It joins finish area regrading and grandstand improvements as part of their commitment to the long-term future of ski racing here. All race viewing takes place at John and Karen Arnold Red Tail Stadium, and general admission remains free, keeping Birds of Prey one of the most accessible and fan-friendly stops on the entire World Cup circuit. A FESTIVAL BEYOND THE FINISH LINE The racing is only part of the story. Across the two weeks, festivalgoers can expect an expanded slate of festivities, including free live music, sponsor activations, live bib draws, athlete autograph sessions, the fan-favorite Beers of Prey, and more. New this year: Cheers of Prey, a cocktail- and mocktailtasting event. The festival will continue into the evenings with shows at the Vilar
VAIL VALLEY FOUNDATION | VVF.ORG
2026 STIFEL BIRDS OF PREY RACE SCHEDULE MEN’S RACING WEEKEND 1 Thursday, Dec. 3: Downhill Friday, Dec. 4: Downhill Saturday, Dec. 5: Super-G Sunday, Dec. 6: Giant Slalom WOMEN’S RACING WEEKEND 2 Friday, Dec. 11: Downhill Saturday, Dec. 12: Downhill Sunday, Dec. 13: Super-G
Performing Arts Center, including backto-back nights of Nathaniel Rateliff on December 5 and 6. ILLENIUM will also be performing at the newly renovated Dobson Arena in Vail on December 11, celebrating women’s weekend with a concert built to bring new energy and new fans to Beaver Creek. Tickets for the ILLENIUM concert, shows at the Vilar, Beers of Prey, and Cheers of Prey are all on sale now. VIP hospitality packages are also available for purchase. Full details on all festival programming will be available soon at bcworldcup.com. Photos by Jon Resnick.
A QUARTERCENTURY IN THE MAKING GoPro Mountain Games gears up to turn 25
Next June, the GoPro Mountain Games celebrates its 25th anniversary. What began as a small, local whitewater event has grown into the world’s largest celebration of mountain sports, art, music, and the mountain lifestyle, drawing tens of thousands of people to Vail every summer. Planning for year 25 is well underway, and more details will be shared next spring. In the meantime, mark your calendar so you don’t miss it: June 10–13, 2027! MOMENTUM FROM A MEMORABLE YEAR The quarter-century celebration comes on the heels of one of the most dynamic Mountain Games festivals in history. On land, the festival broke records. The adidas TERREX 20K Trail Run climbed all the way to Mid-Vail for the first time in the event’s history. The Nature Valley Mountain Mud Run saw one of its biggest turnouts ever, and the brandnew Kids Mini Dash brought more opportunities for young athletes to get involved. In Purina Pro Plan Dog Town, a world record was tied in the DockDogs Extreme Vertical, and 30 shelter dogs found forever homes through Eagle County Animal Services.
Photos by JohnRyan Lockman, Dan Davis, and Chris Kendig.
On the water, a historic low snowpack caused low river flows. We adapted quickly, and five water events moved forward on adjusted courses at new venues while fans watched the action back in Vail on the big screen over the kayak hole. The festival has come a long way since its early days. It launched as the Jeep Whitewater Series, officially became the Teva Mountain Games in 2002, came under Vail Valley Foundation stewardship in 2009, and welcomed GoPro as title sponsor in 2013. It continues to become bigger and better with each iteration. Every year, this festival gets more and more people outside, in the water, up the mountain, and around a stage to make new memories with neighbors, friends, and families. Twenty-five years in, that is still what it’s all about. SAVE THE DATE for the GoPro Mountain Games 25th Anniversary: June 10–13, 2027, in Vail, Colorado! For details on sponsorship opportunities, contact Event Director Dave Dressman at ddressman@vvf.org.
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THE NEXT TWENTY
A look back at two decades of the Vail Dance Festival under Damian Woetzel Roman Mejia at the 2026 Vail Dance Festival. Photo by Christopher Duggan.
The Vail Dance Festival once again delivered incredible artistry and innovation this summer, bringing together nearly 200 artists for 13 performances and more than 50 community and donor events to the Vail Valley. The 2026 season was a massive success, surpassing ticket sales goals as it marked an incredible 20 years under the artistic direction of Damian Woetzel. Twelve new works made their world debuts on closing night at NOW: Premieres. This year’s programming reflected both where the Festival has been and where it is going. The Martha Graham Dance Company headlined as part of its own centennial celebration. Rennie Harris Puremovement American Street Dance Theater made its Festival debut. Cleo Parker Robinson Dance and Colorado Ballet represented the vitality of dance in Colorado today. They joined a roster of stars drawn from Alonzo King LINES Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Philadelphia Ballet, the Royal Danish Ballet, and Trinity Irish Dance Company. Festival staples also returned in force, including UpClose with Damian Woetzel, Watching Dance with Heather Watts, the low-priced Dance for $20.26, and the free Dancing in the Streets community events. Since Woetzel took the helm in 2006, the Festival has commissioned more than 130 new works from established and emerging choreographers, forged collaborations with an extraordinary range of composers and musicians, and expanded well beyond the Amphitheater stage into classrooms, streets, and community spaces throughout the valley. Woetzel also launched the Festival’s Artist-In-Residence program in 2010, and it has become one of the most coveted opportunities in American dance.
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VAIL VALLEY FOUNDATION | VVF.ORG
Opening Night of the 2026 Festival at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater. Photo by Chris Kendig.
LOOKING TO THE NEXT TWO DECADES The Festival is not slowing down. Each summer brings new commissions, new collaborations, and new artists making their Vail debuts. The coming years will build on all of it as the Festival approaches its 40th anniversary in 2029. After 37 years, the Festival’s goal remains the same: bring extraordinary artists together in a place unlike anywhere else and give them the freedom to create something that could only be created here. SAVE THE DATE for Opening Night of the 2027 Vail Dance Festival: July 30, 2027! Learn more at vaildance.org.
To learn more about supporting the Vail Dance Festival, contact Senior Director of Philanthropy Martha Brassel at mbrassel@vvf.org.
WINTER SEASON PREVIEW Here’s a sneak peek at what the Vilar has lined up this season, with more to be announced soon. For the complete lineup, visit vilarpac.org/events. DECEMBER 5 & 6 Nathaniel Rateliff JANUARY 2 The Temptations FEBRUARY 3 Sergio Bernal Dance Company MARCH 4 Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis MARCH 15 & 16 Shucked
PERFORMING ARTS FOR EVERY AGE
Beyond the walls of the Vilar, STARS in Schools brings visiting artists directly into classrooms. This fall, the Vilar will offer four in-school workshops covering percussion, dance, and literary analysis, with more planned for spring.
TAKING THE VILAR ON THE ROAD STARS is one piece of a broader effort to reach families outside of the Vilar's There is a particular kind of magic in a child's traditional calendar. In September, first live performance. The Vilar Performing Arts the Vilar took its programming down Center has spent nearly three decades providing valley for a free family-friendly that magic, championed by supporters who believe concert in Eagle, presenting Norteño that every young person deserves to experience trio Carlos y Charlos on the lawn at the performing arts. the Brush Creek Pavilion. STARS (Support The Arts Reaching Students) It was the first of what the Vilar has brought students to the Vilar for free daytime Carlos y Charlos EN VIVO! in Eagle presented hopes will be many free offsite performances since 1998. In the 2025–26 school by the Vilar. Photo by Chris Kendig. community concerts. The goal is year, STARS served nearly 11,000 students—an simple: remove barriers that keep 80% increase from the previous year, and enough to fill the local families from attending shows at the Vilar, such as Eskenazi Meyers Theatre more than 20 times over. distance, cost, weeknight logistics, or the perception that a The Vilar covers the full cost of every STARS experience, night at the theater is out of reach. including transportation for Eagle County Schools— Taken together with the Vilar's larger Community Arts Access an annual investment of nearly $250,000. For many program, these initiatives are ensuring that everyone in the children, a STARS field trip is their first encounter with live Eagle River Valley can experience world-class performing arts. performance of any kind. Learn more about STARS and see this season's full lineup at vilarpac.org/stars.
Photo by JohnRyan Lockman.
Interested in supporting the Vilar's education and community engagement programs? Contact Director of Philanthropy Julia Salerno at jsalerno@vvf.org.
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CLOSING THE GAP
Expanded academic support is changing outcomes for Youth Power students A state grant for expanded support in two of Youth Power’s six PwrHrs Afterschool programs is producing significant gains for students with the greatest academic need. In every classroom measured across both Avon and Gypsum Elementary Schools, at least 82% of PwrHrs students increased their STAR (Student Testing And Reporting) reading and math scores over the course of the 2025–26 school year. The results come from a Colorado Nonprofits Out-of-School Time (NPOST) grant, which funds programs that provide affordable, comprehensive academic enrichment and related services outside the regular school day. Youth Power was one of only 11 organizations selected statewide. PwrHrs is one of several Youth Power programs supporting local students and families from early childhood through college and career. The program launched in 2000 and has been operating in most district elementary schools since 2011. PwrHrs provides students with a safe, structured environment after school and access to trusted adults for homework help, meals, and enrichment activities. The grant allowed Youth Power to hire academic interventionists in PwrHrs at both schools for the full year to work one-on-one with students after the school day. Every interventionist in the program is also an Eagle County School District staff member, giving them additional paid time to work closely with the students who benefit most from it. At the beginning of the 2025–26 school year, interventionists identified students with the greatest academic need and worked with them. At the end of the first semester, PwrHrs students who received intervention raised their STAR assessment scores in both reading and math at rates equal to or better than those who did not. Every student who needed intervention received it for the second semester, and by the end of the school year, the percentage of students in the district’s highest-need
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category dropped in both reading and math across nearly all PwrHrs classrooms. Along with increased family engagement and regular PwrHrs attendance, these results confirm what Youth Power has long known: students grow both academically and emotionally when they have a safe place to go, adults they trust, and extra support outside the traditional school day. The state has renewed Youth Power’s NPOST grant to continue this additional support at both schools through the 2026–27 school year. These results have also led other local principals to ask how PwrHrs can extend the interventionist program to their schools. Though the grant will likely end after this year, we are actively pursuing other funding sources to build upon the innovative approach. Interested in supporting Youth Power's academic programs? Contact Director of Philanthropy Kelly Ronquist at kronquist@vvf.org.
Photos by Mike Ball and Chris Kendig.
SAVE THE DATE:
BLACK DIAMOND LIVE A Night of Possibility
transformative education programs, and vital community support initiatives, every dollar raised helps create more opportunity across our community. Space is limited, so we encourage those who would like to attend to inquire about sponsoring. For more information and to inquire about sponsorship opportunities, contact Director of Philanthropy Stephen Licciardi at slicciardi@vvf.org.
Photos by Chris Kendig.
We dropped the Ball. Turned up the volume. Join us for Black Diamond LIVE on Friday, February 12, 2027, at the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek. Black Diamond is entering a new era. We dropped the “Ball” and are turning up the energy for a reimagined night of live music, connection, and impact in support of the Vail Valley Foundation’s General Fund. Come together with friends, supporters and community members for A Night of Possibility, celebrating the programs and experiences that make our valley stronger. From world-class performing arts to premier athletic events,
IN MEMORIAM
George Gillett owned Vail and Beaver Creek ski resorts from 1985 to 1992 and was a Life Trustee of the Vail Valley Foundation. A lifelong ski racing fan, he was instrumental in bringing the 1989 World Alpine Ski Championships to Vail, the first held in the United States since 1950. His support also helped bring the Championships back to Vail and Beaver Creek in 1999 and 2015. He was instrumental in establishing our valley as a home for world-class ski racing. George was also a pillar of the community. Under his ownership, Vail installed more high-speed detachable quad chairlifts than any ski area in the world at the time. He expanded Vail into China Bowl, making it the largest single-mountain resort in North America. He also helped bring direct flights into Eagle County and persuaded Dr. Richard Steadman to move his practice to Vail, where
it grew into The Steadman Clinic and the Steadman Philippon Research Institute. Beyond the valley, George revived the Harlem Globetrotters, owned the Montreal Canadiens and coowned Liverpool Football Club. In 2005, he was inducted into the Colorado Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame. George passed away in September at age 87. He is survived by Rose, his wife of 59 years, and their family. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him.
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Photos courtesy of the Vail Valley Foundation.
GEORGE N. GILLETT JR.
Enclosed is your copy of IMPACT—the newsletter for supporters of the Vail Valley Foundation.
CONTACT US Please reach out to a member of the VVF philanthropy team if you have questions or would like to learn more about the various ways you can support the VVF.
Peter Barclay
Martha Brassel
Vice President of Philanthropy pbarclay@vvf.org
Senior Director of Philanthropy mbrassel@vvf.org
Stephen Licciardi Director of Philanthropy slicciardi@vvf.org
Kendra Powell
Kelly Ronquist
Director of Donor Engagement kpowell@vvf.org
Director of Philanthropy kronquist@vvf.org
Vail Valley Foundation
Bailey Nelson Philanthropy Manager bnelson@vvf.org
Julia Salerno Director of Philanthropy jsalerno@vvf.org
Phone 970.777.2015
P.O. Box 6550, Avon, CO 81620
Email info@vvf.org
90 Benchmark Road, Suite 300, Avon, CO 81620
vvf.org Join us on: